GAME REPORT

Casas Class Halts Rivas Losing Streak

A EuroLeague Women career-high score by Queralt Casas helped Rivas Ecopolis end a four-game losing streak and revive their Group B fortunes with a 63-56 success against Basket Lattes Montpellier Agglomeration.

The guard poured in 24 points from a majestic 10-of-13 shooting display as Rivas shrugged off the body blow of losing Spanish national team center Laura Gil to a season-ending injury, by getting back on the winning track.

It had initially looked like the hosts might be heading for a fifth consecutive defeat when basement dwellers BLMA opened up a useful 26-17 lead.

But Rivas stepped up their defensive intensity and produced a stirring 17-3 run to put themselves in the ascendency.

Both teams enjoyed regular shares of the lead for the remainder of the encounter until BLMA hit a major drought during crunch time.

Leading 56-52 after a basket by Ingrid Tanqueray and with just under four minutes left to play, the French club looked well placed, but with foul trouble mounting, their offence deserted them and they didn't score again.

Rivas finished with the last eleven points of the game, helped by a trio of downtown conversions.

Casas put the home side in front at 57-56 and Swedish star Frida Eldebrink drove the dagger home with two triples of her own.

Laura Nicholls pulled down 13 rebounds and swatted three shots for Rivas, whilst Gunta Basko-Melnbarde and Geraldine Robert shared 30 points for BLMA who remain bottom of the standings.

COACH QUOTES

Quotes: Rivas Ecopolis vs. BLMA Montpellier

Rivas Ecopolis Head Coach Jose Ignacio Hernandez"It was a very important win, specially being able to regain the difference of five points they achieved in their win on the first leg. Now, we're much closer to the play-offs and we have to focus on finding another team to leave behind so we can secure our spot in the next round. I think we managed to do a very strong defensive effort, being as aggressive as we used to be early on in the season. We knew how to stop their shooters."

Rivas Ecópolis Guard Queralt Casas "It's been a hard, tough game, quite physical for both teams. We were more accurate shooting the ball in the key moments. Now we're in a good position to make the play-offs after a good win, we had to suffer until the end, but now we're feeling quite happy about that."

BLMA Montpellier Coach Valery Demory "We played bad in the last minutes, we didn't shot good at all from the outside, the numbers are low. We had our chances in the game until the last plays, but were not able to find the basket, which makes it difficult to win games."

BLMA Montpellier Forward Gunta Basko-Melnbarde "We didn't stop them in the second half, they were efficient hitting their clutch shots and we didn't do the same thing, I think that's why we lost the game."